The Rage Against the Machine guitarist discussed race and audience perception ahead of his solo album release.
Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello shared that a significant portion of his audience is still shocked to learn he is African American, describing the reaction as a “cognitive dissonance.” Speaking on the Broken Record podcast while promoting his upcoming solo album, Everyone Gets Everything They Want (arriving Sept. 25), Morello reflected on growing up as the only Black person in Libertyville, Illinois, after being born in Harlem to a Kenyan diplomat father and a mother with Irish and Italian roots.
Morello noted how different groups view his identity, contrasting his childhood experience with playing in a rock band featured on radio stations and in magazines that rarely showcased Black artists. He also compared his situation to mixed-race Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash, stating that many fans similarly do not realize Slash is Black. Morello’s upcoming live appearances include the Louder Than Life festival in Louisville and his own festival, Power to the People, in Columbia, Maryland.
