Chaka Khan has said she became a singer instead of a Black Panther Party activist after she was given a gun. The 73-year-old, whose story features in the musical I’m Every Woman at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre until September 27, said she joined the black power group at 16 as she felt they were “absolutely correct on every point”.
Gun led to career change
Khan told Lauren Laverne on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs: “I didn’t feel in any danger at all (during the time of the US civil rights movement), I really didn’t. In fact, I had a gun that came into my hands, I forget how I got it, but it made me sick having the gun all the time.
“I got really ill, physically ill, that’s when I decided I was going to be a singer or an entertainer, as opposed to dedicating my life to the Black Panthers, it took a weight off of me.”
Activism and music career
Khan, whose real name is Yvette Stevens, went on to say that as part of her activism she lit cherry bombs in the school lunch hall. She added of the Black Panther Party: “They were absolutely correct on every point, pretty much, they only believed in protecting themselves.
“I think a lot of people were fearful because it’s called the Black Panthers, that’s kind of strong, well, it’s okay, the thing is, they believed in self-defence and taking care of our people. I started a free records for children programme, things like that, we were really giving to the community, but the thing that we did not like, and that we did not go for, and it’s only fair that you were able to protect yourself.”
The singer picked California by Joni Mitchell, What Is And What Should Never Be by Led Zeppelin and Good Times by Aretha Franklin among her Desert Island Discs. Khan began her career in the early 1970s with the rock and soul band Rufus, before going on to have a successful solo career which saw her achieve four UK top 10 singles including a number one with her cover of Prince’s I Feel For You. Her other well-known songs include I’m Every Woman, Ain’t Nobody and This Is My Night.
Desert Island Discs can be heard on BBC Radio 4 and Sounds from 10am on Sunday.
