Jay-Z Grammy Speech Flack
Within the modern-day world of 24-hour information cycles, Jay-Z’s Grammy speech is historical information. Nonetheless, I actually suppose we must always pause to replicate on what went down. And I’m actually simply speaking about one side of Hova’s phrases. Brotherman stood up in entrance of the world and mentioned what darn close to each Black individual I do know has mentioned a thousand occasions – Beyoncé has gained extra Grammys than some other human being ever, however has by no means gained Album of the 12 months, and that is mindless. Some have criticized Jay-Z for different components of his speech. Others had concern together with his phrases about his spouse’s lacking Grammy. However why; particularly when there have been cries for Black males to step up and defend the distinction of Black womanhood? With each assault or slight or disrespect of the brilliance and excellence of Black ladies (former Harvard president Claudine Homosexual, for instance), the mantra has been, “The place are the brothers to defend her?” Properly, Jay-Z was proper there, on a global stage, standing on enterprise for the sister in his life. Can we simply admire that, and maintain it transferring?
Hair Colonizing Custom Continues
The world has actress Bo Derek to thank for “introducing” us to braids by way of the 1979 movie “10.” World residents had been blessed, a couple of years in the past, to “study” corn rolls by way of the cutting-edge trend-setter Kim Kardashian. And in 2016, Gilan Sharafani, a vlogger based mostly in Norway, gave us a brand new coiffure and did so by way of a video tutorial she posted. Sharafani referred to as them “huge heatless curls.” Them “innernets,” nonetheless, schooled her to the reality; they had been/are bantu knots. And if you happen to thought you could possibly retreat to the world of sports activities to get away from all this coiffure gentrifying and colonizing, you rapidly came upon this previous week, no space of life is secure from folks making an attempt to Columbus our circulate. The New York Occasions wrote a whole-a article on the “Travis Kelce Lower” and the way it has impressed a military of white boys to see to rock Kelce’s distinctive doo. The issue is, that so-called “Kelce Lower” ain’t nothin’ however a fade – the oldest coiffure in Blackworld. No shade on Kelce. He by no means claimed to invent to chop. Reasonably, it was/is the clueless hair colonizers on the NYT who’re retaining this shameful, white-washing custom alive.
Black Historical past Near Dwelling
The opposite day I heard social commentator Jeff Johnson share with the Rickey Smiley Morning Present viewers a robust concept for Black Historical past Month, and one I’ve shared with my college students and others for years – begin at residence. Have conversations with the older members of your loved ones. Take notes. File their tales. We regularly overlook the unbelievable acts of bravery, valor, grit, and willpower displayed by our personal individuals. However simply because their names aren’t within the historical past books doesn’t imply their contributions and affect are much less legitimate. Our dad and mom, grandparents, aunties, grandfathers, Uncs, and others made a means out of no means – in methods huge and small, unusual and extraordinary, recognized and unknown. Let’s accumulate these tales so we are able to move them on to generations to return of our households.
