If you haven’t make sure you check out the last two episodes of the “Straight Outta Lo Cash” Radio Show. This week’s show was called “Introducing Team Leave It In” with special guest comedian Tony King. You can also subscribe to the show on I-Tunes or listen on your Android, I-Phone, I-Pad or Black berry of Stitcher Radio.
Black History Month is here once again. We’ll have all kinds of “specials” commemorating certain black accomplishments. I think we can all agree that the accomplishments of the black culture can’t be narrowed down to one month. There has been a lot of discussion on whether Black History Month is still needed in this day in time. Black History is more than one month! It should be celebrated every day. Hence the reason I started the Reversing a Culture of Ignorance series.
Someone asked me the other day on twitter (you should be following me @diggame) “When will there be true equality in America for Black Americans?” I responded “When we are more than just niggaz or kings and bitches or 
queens.” I know you’re wondering what the hell I mean… I got that statement from Mos Def on Black Stars’ uber poignant and thought-provoking song “Thieves in the Night”. That song flips Toni Morrison’s classic novel The Bluest Eye. In our society it seems like a black person has to either be as “ignorant” as possible or on some “super high level.” Like Mos said, there is no in-between or middle ground. The identity of being black is so much more complex than those two extremes.
Look around you – the only people in the black society who are given attention are the lowest common denominator. We are inundated everyday with world star hip hop, news stories, and the overall niggarcity of the black community. Black society is much more than just folks acting a fool over concord Jordan’s. On the flip side, black society isn’t all about Beyonce, Kanye, a basketball wife, or Diddy (I still call him Puff Daddy) having big parties in the Hampton’s. The majority of black society is at neither extreme – we’re somewhere in the middle.
One of the first steps towards true equality: its acceptable to be a regular person. By regular person I’m not saying we aren’t excelling or being successful. I’m saying we’re refusing to be the lowest common denominator while not having to live at some unrealistic lifestyle. I’m pretty sure ya’ll have heard the saying “To be successful, one has to work 5 times as hard to get to the same level as the average American.” This is debatable, I know, but I seriously think society looks at black culture as either niggarcity or we’re Oprah. Few times do we see, talk, mention, or honor the man who has moved his way up through AT&T and is doing his best to take care of his family. What about the sister who’s a nurse and just wants to be more than a chick who was grew up in West Philly?
We could say that both the media and entertainment effect these separate entities. But the truth is, we perpetuate it ourselves in our daily actions. For instance – we put so much stake into keeping it “gutter” or (my favorite
) “keepin it real”. On the other hand, we put a ton of stock in things looking vainglorious rather then things being good. We want all these shiny/nice things that we never sit back think - is it really even good for us? I’ve learned that sometimes, whats beautiful isn’t always good… but something good is always beautiful.
Personally, I’m growing every day and being a black nerd I don’t necessarily fit in either of those dynamics. I’ve always thought it crippled people from being who they want to be. They’re directly, or indirectly, influenced to be a part of the “Goon Squad” or Sean Cater (aka Jay-Z). When all that started, I finally got to a point in my life where I was alright being who I am.
The huge “grey area” of black society is never shown or represented. We need to recognize that more. Why is it that I have to either be “hood” or a weekly/weekend bottle popper? Why to we have to be either? Some people can’t truly find their purpose in life because they’re influenced into fulfilling one of those roles. When a person realizes there’s so much more to life than those extremes they I think they can really understand who they are as a black person in this world… and how they fit into it.
“I find it’s distressing, there’s never no in-between
We either niggas or Kings, we either bitches or Queens.”Mos Def – Thieves in the Night
Related articles
- How to Commemorate Black History Month (awesomelyluvvie.com)
- Allen West on Black History Month (snopes.com)
- Mos Def AKA Yasiin Bey Remembers Malcolm X With “N*ggas In Poorest” (hellobeautiful.com)
- Officially THE Worst Black History Month Since The Middle Passage (listentoleon.net)
- Why We Still Need Black History Month. (averagebro.com)
- Fight Ignorance…With Ignorance? (verysmartbrothas.com)
Good article! Black people have to stop worrying about whether White people consider them equals. We need to concentrate our collective energies on being the best people we can be. By doing this, we move our and their focus from equality to a focus where there is no doubt that Black people are significant in America. Please explain your perspective on how “Thieves in the Night” flips Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye.
I 100% Agree. Our own people feel shackled by how we are depicted they themselves don’t think out of the box. Little by little I feel we as a whole are “waking” up to the fact that media image does not dictate who we are. If you like to ski, listen to Enya or would rather knit a sweater vs popin bottles on the weekend, great. I lol’d cause it was so true about not celebrating the man holdin down his job at AT&T. Truth! xo
Good article. It reminds me of a Tupac quote. “We don’t need no more rappers, we don’t need no more basketball players, no more football players. We need more thinkers. We need more scientists. We need more managers. We need more mathematicians. We need more teachers. We need more people who care; you know what I’m saying? We need more women, mothers, fathers, we need more of that, we don’t need any more entertainers”
You brought the heat with this post!!
That song by Black Star I listened to at least 50 times! Great perspective to pull out some thoughts from that bar from Mos Def!
Most people are too scared to see themselves as more than what you have assessed here. We either want all the American dream or want to be anti dreaming period
I don’t always see eye to eye with you in some of your posts but you were so right and had great thoughts on this one!!
Very Very good write up right here!!!!
I was just talking about this subject with my friends……but I see it first hand with a couple of them…….going back and forth between the two extremes……
Not to repeat @Pounder….but, some folks truly don’t know who they really are…and some folks forget…..who they really are….I once did……and some are Scurred (Scared – a lil’ sarcasm)….for them, it’s easier to imitate someone else….(to them), being themselves isn’t worth it…………and one of the saddest things is to let society…tell a person who they are……
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Reblogged this on staceyadamz.
Great post D! Very good Introspective Thought!!
I like this post as it relates to the plight of black folks, however it suggest that we are viewed in a different way than the rest of society is, and as it specifically pertains to extremes, I disagree. If you look at the growing popularity of reality television over the years, all of these shows are based on some type of unique talent, extreme behavior, or fantasy good or bad. The Biggest Loser, Teen Mom, The Bachelor, The Kardashians, The Real Housewices of Wherever, etc, etc. Most of these shows do not exploit black people and their extremes, and I’ve always felt that the argument of us being exploited was a little blown out of proportion because exploitation is really more of a socio economic issue than a race one. If there is a group of people that can be exploited for entertainment value – which then translates into dollars – you best believe someone in the business will find it.
@Geoff…..
I’m having a hard time…understanding your point….when your screen name is Single Married Guy…..
Personally, I’m Married…not Single…you Sir, need to Make a Choice………
You’re right on the money with this one. We have to change how we see ourselves and allow there to be growth and participation in activities that are not sterotypical without backlash. If you like to ski or math we should nbe more open as a people to variety. Personally I love to learn, and have a number of degrees but I still love my hip hop and Southern food. We are complex and wonderful and that should be celebrated and not ignored or ridiculed.
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