Bid 'Em In by Oscar Brown Jr. is a hart-piercing, percussive narrative where Brown plays the
part of a slave auctioneer. It is delivered with a
lyrical style that many have called proto rap. The song is on his debut album Sin & Soul from 1960. This lp is regarded as a true classic for openly tackling the experiences of African Americans
Oscar Brown Jr.
Oscar Brown Jr. (October 10, 1926 – May 29, 2005) was a poet, playwright, singer, songwriter, actor and humorist who travels the United States, telling stories of African-American history. He was seen as the forerunner to socially-conscious black musicians like Gil Scott Heron. During his career, Brown composed several hundred songs. Some of his top songs are Dat Dere, Work Song and Watermelon Man. Oscar Brown Jr. was seen as the forerunner to socially-conscious black music. He's also known for combining his community activism with the arts, and once organized Chicago gang members into a theatre troupe.
Bid 'Em In
The song Bid 'Em In is a socially charged narrative on the auction of enslaved Africans in the United States. This song has become an animated short film directed by Neal Sopata and produced by Ayappa Biddanda.
Bid 'em in!
Get 'em in!
That sun is hot and plenty bright.
Let's get down to business and get home tonight.
Bid 'em in!
Source: NPR, Wikipedia
