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A portion of the following is an excerpt from our 2011 Black Music Month coverage. Check in with AllHipHop.com all this month, as we celebrate the beautiful mash-ups between Rap and other genres of Black Music!

The month of June spotlights “Black Music Month,” and over the years, the contributions of Black Americans to the world music scene are undeniable.

Long before slavery was abolished, Jim Crow laws were overturned, and the rebellion of the Civil Rights Movement, Black folks found a way to transform their music into the voice of a people – to convey happiness, creativity, and secret messages, and to channel their collective pain. From those early days came Jazz, Blues, Gospel, R&B, soul, Hip-Hop, Reggae, and even Rock –- all uniquely Black in origin.

These days, Black music has expanded and innovated to the point of permanently changing the global Pop Culture landscape. Some would argue that Hip-Hop, the youngest of the African-inspired genres, is the most influential due to its overwhelming marketing and cultural dominance. Since its introduction in the 70s, when DJs started sampling soul greats such as James Brown over simple break beats, to the red-black-and-green political days of the ’80s, to the flossy, techno-infused international sounds of today, make no mistake. Rap has mattered.

Through the end of June in New York City, Apple’’s stellar Black music lineup includes Beanie Sigel (SoHo store on 6/19), Ziggy Marley (Upper West Side store on 6/18), and in the West 14th Street store, Big K.R.I.T. (6/7), Robert Glasper (6/21), and Slaughterhouse (6/30).

And, that’s just in New York City alone! To see the full calendar of national Black Music Month events at an Apple Store near you, click HERE.

In years past, the retailer has hosted numerous special events spotlighting rap and Hip-Hop, including an informative Black History Month discussion pairing Public Enemy frontman Chuck D with AllHipHop.com founder, Chuck Creekmur.

This June and always –from Gil Scott-Heron to Jay-Z to Jadakiss and everywhere in between – the beat goes on. Go celebrate. We do. Every day.