Black is the new Black : defining Afro-German Blackness through the influence of American media

Due to the lack of Black representation in Germany for Afro-Germans, many have turned to media from the United States to relate to and understand their identities. Using hip-hop, radio, and podcasts, Afro-Germans have expressed how they relate to both their Germanness and their Blackness unapologetically declaring where they come from and conferring with other Afro-Germans in a communal space about their experiences as Black people in Germany. In the 1980s, these kinds of conversations were often done in literary circles, however, from the 1990s and into the 21ˢᵗ century, oral media made the stories of Afro-Germans available to a wider audience. In this paper, I argue that American forms of media such as hip-hop, Black radio, and podcasts have influenced Afro-Germans to create their own media in a space where their narratives are not often heard. Hip-hop created by Afro-Germans specifically emphasizes how their identity is perceived in German society while radio that incorporates Afro-German experiences has connected their stories to that of the wider African diaspora. The connection to the United States through radio allows for a collective Black consciousness amongst diasporans and gives Afro-Germans the opportunity to explore how they relate to their nation and their heritage. In these discussions amongst people of African descent in both the United States and Germany, the theme of Afrocentrism is a core component of seeking out one’s heritage. Through the establishment of their own podcasts, Afro-Germans have created media to broadcast their intimate experiences of rediscovering their Black identities while growing up in a Eurocentric society. Ample research on the influence of American hip-hop and rap culture in Germany exists, and with my research, I expand the scope further to look specifically at how Afro-Germans discuss their identities with African Americans via radio and with each other through the art of podcasting. By creating their own media and touching on topics representing their community, Afro-Germans define how they wish to be seen by the rest of German society.Germanic Studie