It’s the uncomfortable subject matter many seek to avoid by any means possible.
We’re talking about race of course, and how society’s perception of certain races and the varying shades within them serve to support some, while creating a glass ceiling for others.
Now peep comments made by J.Cole to BET recently, which saw him speak openly- and pretty accurately- on race in America.
He explained:
“There are some women out there that are like, “I don’t even like light skin men” and that’s fine. But Barack Obama would not be President if he were dark skin. You know what I mean? That’s just the truth. I might not be as successful as I am now if I was dark skin. I’m not saying that for sure, I’m still as talented as I am and Obama is still as smart as he is, but it’s just a sad truth.
I don’t even know if this is going to translate well into text and people not hearing what I’m saying, but it’s a sad reality. So I can only naturally assume it’s probably easier for a light skin male rapper than it might be for a dark skin male rapper. It’s all subconscious s***, nobody’s aware — I think that s*** still subconsciously affects us.”
An uncomfortable truth, but a truth none the less.
At times, it can be hard for some to argue points similar to Cole’s without sounding inflammatory, so kudos goes to him for saying what he said in the way he said it.
Fact of the matter is, the President’s skin tone did serve as one of the many catalysts for his win back in 2008, free of all the negative stereotypes that would have been assigned to him had he looked like Wesley Snipes, for example.
For, as unfortunate as this is to admit, black men akin to Wesley find themselves placed in of two categories by the mass media.
At best, they’re highly sexualised and at worst- for a number of reasons- are billed as being highly aggressive, stereotypes marketeers use to shift anything from pornography to music, but stereotypes Obama was able to avoid by way of the public’s perception of lighter skinned men.
Hes speaking real s***! Dark skin people don’t get as much love..
Anyone gets love from Kim K tho. She’ll do anyone with a d***.
but last time i checked he isn’t that light skinned
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I disagree. This is about politics not the music industry so its totally different. As far as everyones concerned, he is a BLACK president not a mixed race/light skin president.
Are you African-American?
Yes which is why I dont agree. Theres many other factors contributing to Obama becoming president not just because of how light skin he is. To make such an ignorant statement just sounds shallow.
his mom is white. bye.
I know
If you are African-American then I’m not sure how you can respond to this post from an informed point of view and actually not understad the context of what j. cole is saying. Are you light-skin? Or are you one of those black people who only dates outside of their race? You seem a bit disillusioned. I think everyone knows that there were other factors that helped Obama become president; what J. Cole is saying is that those factors may not have meant a thing if he was aesthetically “threatening” to the majority populace. And it’s very easy to come to the conclusion that general western ideals of beauty (or normalcy…or righteousness) are often associated with western (ie: european) ideals of what is right/beautiful. Hence, Obama being light-skin/mixed-race certainly did not hurt his cause. Think about how the right wing has constantly tried to tie him to his African/Kenyan heritage as a means to discredit him. Why would such a thing serve to dis-credit anyone? Open your eyes.
First of all your comment stopped being diplomatic when you started making ignorant assumptions about who I am and my skin tone. Why should that matter? I could be light skin but have a dark skin mother for all you know? How does that make my opinion less credible? Is J Cole not light skin himself? And FYI I am neither of those things you ignorantly assumed.
I know the issue and aesthetic preference between light skin and dark skin people (speaking in general) I am not stupid. But to assume he would not president if he had a different skin tone is totally stupid. When skin tone is not the sole reason he is president
And my point is, what is he known as Universally? ‘The first BLACK president’. He represents black people, bi racial or not. Obama will most likely be attacked because he is black. Black people (majority of ethnic minorities actually) could identify with him because he was half black, not half white. And since a large proportion of favourable votes came from that, my point still stands to reason. Once again, you miss interpret my comment, I am not saying it had no contribution at all.
He is mixed. Dumb ass ni**ers always want to claim the mix race.
FIRST OF ALL, who said I was attempting to be diplomatic? Secondly, I made no assumptions; I asked questions. Furthermore, regardless of if your mother was/is/isn’t (i really don’t care) dark-skin, one’s individual experience is their own and this ties to what J. Cole was touching on. This is HIS truth and likewise the truth for millions of other people of color. He’s simply making a hypothesis basis on his point of view. I happen to agree. If you’ve been fortunate enough to live in a so-called color blind society, great for you, but it’s not a reality for most people of color. And Obama definitely benefits from his complexion. I’m not saying there is any resentment on my behalf, but what you have to realize is that even the confidence that he’s afforded, the doors that have opened, and to an extent the places he was able to go (as a result of his mixed heritage) contributed to him being the right person at the right time to become the president.
Well, if they weren’t assumptions why did you feel the need to ask? And you don’t care, yet you asked me the question. Honey I have encountered racism myself I am not blind to prejudice and stereotyping.
Once again, you’re missing the point. No where in my comment did I say Obama did not benefit from his skin tone so read my full response and you wouldn’t have replied basically saying the same thing.
And whether its his truth or not, he made the statement that Obama would not be president if he was dark skin. If he was using it as an example of the hierarchy between light skin and dark skin people then he worded it in the wrong way. There is no fact in that. If you want to succumb to it that way then fine, but I don’t. There are many other factors that contributed.
You are completely right. People were behind him because he looked and represented change. Also, I always thought in rap the darker you were the better your chances are. because in music, you have to look like the people you’re selling to. That’s why people always talk about drake being soft. k
Where are the lies? White people don’t even know they do it so it’s not their fault. My dad spoke a word when he said ‘everybody wants to be a n*gger, but nobody wants to be a n**ger’.
???
meaning everyone wants to be black (swagger) but they don’t want to look black or go threw what blacks go threw
I don’t agree. He’s confusing the music business with politics.
He’s not lieing tho people need to face reality!
realtalk
@RevolutionYou are so stupid.
Obama is not black. He says he is black but when we LOOK at him we see a biracial man. Politics is all about perception and how see people, which is why there will never be a fat President.
People respond to what they see and you’re a fool if you think looks don’t matter because they do. Don’t think it’s a coincidence that Nicki, Beyonce and Ciara all have blonde hair.
but there has been a fat president i think lol
In the last century?
Before you call someone stupid, you need to learn to read and interpret something properly. People voted for him because of what he stood for and because they could identify with him because he is BLACK.
People still see him as BLACK hence why he gets racially abused. Obviously he is technically bi racial but what he stands for, is black people. Where did I say looks don’t matter?
This NOT about the music industry so Im not even going to begin to compare there and if you believe the US as a Nation are that fickle to just vote for someone because the way they look then you are ignorant. Sure it helps certain situations but its not the sole reason. And to say he would not be president just because of skin tone is stupid.
Because I believe if he was dark skin and representing the same thing, people still would’ve voted for him because of what he stood for, because a large proportion of people that voted for him were ethnic minorities who could IDENTIFY with him.
You know, 55 years ago the whites wouldn’t care if you were half black or just black. To them, you were still considered inferior cuz you were not 100% white and never would be. It’s ashame as blacks we have become divided based on different shades….Obama is not dark but he certainly isn’t light enough to pass as a white person. Everyone can see his black genes as clear as the blue sky. It’s significant enough in history that we have an African- American man in the white house anyways. J Cole is an asshole. Kanye and Jay Z are both dark skin and remain more successful than him.
Obama is black so what is his interpretation of dark skin?
Musicians should not get involved in any kind of politics being their main worries in life revolve around trying to stay relevant musically. The only reason they got so involved this time around is because Romney would’ve given them tax breaks had he won the election.
I’m sorry, but that’s a ridiculous sentiment. Music is art and art should imitate life. That’s the point. What else should an artist speak of? What is the basis of hip-hop? In all fairness the originators of hip-hop were talking politics. Social reform, race relations, poverty, education, etc etc… it’s all in there. So, what are you talking about?
Speak the TRUTH a lot of dark skinned ppl are seen as ignorant lazy loud and ghetto i cant tell you how many times i get followed around in stores even if i have money in my hand
A mess
That’s terrible.
HAHAHA DARK SKIN A** UGLY AS F*** THANK GOD IM LIGHTSKIN DARK SKIN LOOKS LIKE S*** YOU DESREVE TO GONTONJAIL BEACSE OF UR S*** SKIN NI G G ER
^ the fact that there are fools who would even think to post something like this is exactly J. Cole’s point. Thank you…
Shameless.
The lighter you are the more successful you can become.
*looks at username* thats a fact…
To babe it doesnt help Ciara
Bad*
You dumb b**** rih has a unique voice that’s why she was signed go die. Ameri who’s light skin got dropped because of rihanna. And Rita Ora is lighter and she’s not successful at all annoying f**
It’s if different with white people and black people. I remember in elementary when white people called me black and black people would call me white or biracial.
j cole has a crystal ball???
No. He has a point of view.
“There are some women out there that are like, “I don’t even like light skin men” and that’s fine. But Barack Obama would not be President if he were dark skin. You know what I mean? That’s just the truth.”
What?! The music industry and politics are two different things. J is feeling his self way too much. As a brown skinned man it annoys the s*** out of me to her light skinned men talk about how easier they have it in society. Apart if the problem starts with changing perceptions in the black community.
What are you talking about? He’s not saying this to gloat, he’s addressing an issue that he feels is important to speak on. He’s an artist. That’s actually what they’re supposed to do. As a brown skin man, with a relative amount of cognitive and and reading comprehension, I can easily access that he’s actually on the side of all black people. So, again, what are you talking about?
Excuse me, unless you’ve been through what I’ve been through please keep quiet.
J is NOT lying. Every time I go into a store by myself I’m followed like they know for a fact I’m going to steal. When I go into the same stores with my biracial cousins I’m left alone.
Nobody wants to admit it but the only time people like black men is when they’re big buff and ready for bed, other than that they think we’re all criminals.
HHAHA DARK SKIN S*** SKIN A** NI G GE R IM LIGHT SKIN THANK GOD!
“TEAMLIGHTSKIN” you’ve really been hurt, huh? Only someone with a certain type of pain would spew the things you say. It gets better 😉
I disagree with the rap thing. Rap is a representation of everything associated with dark skin, aggression, rebellion, etc. So if anything it’s a plus in that market. Pop’s a different story. I always said Michael Jackson wouldn’t have become as big had he not kept getting lighter and lighter
So, just think about what you just said. Dark skin + aggression and rebellion. Hmm… once again, the point J. Cole was trying to make is made. Either way, rap (and music/film/art) is a business. And if you’re trying to sell (ie; trying to win) it seems as though the patch has recurrently been easiest for those with the complexion for the protection for the selection. Get into it 😉 Black people, unfortunately, are not buying the albums. So, as real as one may want to keep it, understand that susie home-maker might feel a bit more at ease buying a cd from the likes of a Jay Z, J. Cole, or Nelly… rather than Meek Mill or Wale.
Yes at TGJ’s commentary. Dead on.
Look at Biggie, his fat, black ass is considered one of the best 2 ever do it so I dnt think its as hard for male rappers 2 b dark and successful. 2Pac, Rakim, Wale, Kanye etc. All Chocolate and successful rappers
But not on the level of some of their other contemporaries. And we’re talking album sales and marketability.
And I’ll officially never support J. Cole again for this ignorant statement. Yes, in the entertainment industry, it’s all about social superficiality. So if light skinned is perceived as hot right now, that is what will sell and that is only because the youth (who buy most of the music these days) are very superficial.
People voting for a president are not the same as these superficial kids buying and supporting musicians. If that were the case, shouldn’t Romney have won since he is lighter than Obama?
J. Cole is a fool.
Exactly
Lmao no one cares how you feel f** run along
Wit yo ole light-skin ass. Wake up!
Boy some of you kids are just funny….The reach is unheard of.
Right on J.Cole. I see no lies at all.
Let me tell you a TRUE story.
In my first year at college I met a white guy who I became really cool with on campus. He lived on the same block as me so we decided we’d become room mates when we had to move off campus.
One day, we decided to go to the realtor’s office to see what houses they had an offer for us to rent out but before that I had gone shopping at the local grocery store to do my weekly shopping.
After we went to the realtor, this guy said he wanted to go to the same grocery to do his shopping so I followed him. Would you believe that as we were walking out of the store we were stopped by the guards who said they’d seen my friend steal on the CCTV cameras.
One of the guards TOLD the other guard that it wasn’t me who stole but the other one didn’t care and pulled us into the holding room. My so called friend refused to admit it was him who stole and when the police came and were told the story by the guards, BOTH officers looked at me assuming they were talking about me just because I was black.
We were both arrested and one of the officers even went as far as to tell me why he believed I had threatened my so called friend into stealing for me. It was only after two hours of being held at the police station that my so called friend admitted that I had nothing to do with it and I was let go.
So please, unless you’ve been on the receiving end of stereotypes don’t sit there and say being dark skinned is easy and that people don’t label us without even knowing us. The police automatically assumed it was me who stole, and that’s what so effed up about it.
We all, dark/brown skin people, probably have simular stories. I moved to a predominantly white neighborhood and always payed rent on time (actually, 3 months ahead) and even tried to keep common areas neat but, when a disturbance was reported in my building, why does the management call me (while i’m in class, might i add) to accuse me of wrong-doing? …and before asking any of my other neighbors (who happened to be white). The funny thing is, the neighbor directly below me told me he didn’t even know anyone lived in my apartment for a few months bc I was so quiet.
Some people are so blind. The same reason Trayvon was shot is the same reason what J said is true, most people think black men are scary. Obama is fair skinned, skinny and very pretty. He would have won anyway, but it helped.
Nope I don’t think so. It just so happened he was mixed race. But if he was fully black man alas Martin Luther King he still could’ve done it. And the rap thing, J Cole are you dumb? 2pac, Biggie, Kanye were/are all Dark skinned it doesn’t matter about skin tone in Hip Hop. Unless you are literally white like Eminem. But the whole light skin dark skin thing is irrelevant in rap. Maybe pop its true dark skin people have to work even harder and be exceptionally like Whitney Houston and James Brown to really make. A dark skin person could never act like Rihanna on stage and have her success lol. But rap no.
exceptionally*
But what you don’t understand is that “rap” music is “pop” music. Or at least, it aspires to attain the same audience to a degree.
To the people talking about how it’s a struggle being dark skin need to realize its a struggle being black PERIOD! Light skin or dark skin they all see us as black. We are all treated terribly . The other problems are within our own community.
is he crazy or what ????? how many black successful rappers have there been before him ?! Tupac, biggie, snoop dog, lil wayne etc and even pop stars like usher etc …i think this light skin thing is more relevant when it comes to females…and politics & the music business is not the same….
Yeah rappers. How many dark skin singers are playing on the radio though.
but he’s a rapper ? right ? he said he would not be successful if he was dark skin …. back in the 90’s til the early 2000’s when RnB had a reign the radios were saturated with black people ….today it’s all about pop music and edm and there’re not much black artists that do or want to do that type of music so they prefer stick to their roots/ true to themselves with rnb which i can understand (and flop) lol…
That’s why there only 3 successful mainstream black females who all happen to big light skin
The 90s anyone could be famous who was talented, nowadays its more about look and being racially ambiguous. However, Nicki is not light skin without makeup on, she’s light brown
B**** by Nicki is a bleacher boo
And the sad part is the successful black part of the industry do not want to help the Afrocentric part of the industry. Jay z perfect example.
How is Jay Z the perfect example? He built a school for the less fortunate in Brooklyn.
I’m talking about the music industry dear. What dark skin or even brown skin singer has he signed?
Meek Mills
Jay Electronica, Sanigold, Chase J, Meek Mill and others @King
People all up in they feelings lol
J.Cole says s*** people to scared to say he wasn’t lying he speaks the truth f*** off haters!
My best friend is from Sri Lanka and she said the situation is very similar there 2bh. Most people want the lightest form of every race because everyone uses the European standard of beauty to judge people.
This is about politics yall not music. Two totally different types of marketability. Its not that black and white (no pun intended)
I have never read such a more ignorant statement in my life. J cole?
what your saying makes no sense at all. Dark skin men are successfull in the rap industry…kendrick, wayne? as a rapper your looks dont take you far! so why should i give a crap about you skin tone! what! what ! what?!
DRAKE Is The Most Popular Rapper!!
And before him was lil Wayne, 2pac and B.I.G What was your point?
I really love j.cole hes the realest n**** in the game.
The biggest three black singers in the game right now are Nicki, Beyonce and Rihanna. What do they all have in common?
Light skin!!!!!
Ciara light skin and she sells less than the dark skins what is cici issue? Lol
Dark skin males have a better chance on being successful than dark skin woman #Fact
Dumb ass rappers!
Hes far from dumb hes one of the most intelligent rappers out there.
How so J.Cole had an full ACADEMIC Scholarship to St John University ……
You’re both blind!
So people voted because he was fair? Lets just forget about his politics, his skills and the fact that most of the people voting for him are black too. I know there is a hierarchy between dark and light skin but damn I have more faith in people that went to vote didn’t just vote because they like the way he looks.
I totally agree with J Cole, experiencing this first hand being the over observant person that I am.. Whilst having a dark skin friend tell me that he shares the same opinion.. It’s a sad truth which should come to light! Although just like anything else.. Personality/education in this case plays a stronger part as well as likeability.. I would like to think that a darker president would had the same respect from voters if the show was on the other foot.
If Beyonce was kellys skin color then she wouldn’t be s***!
I think the whole light skinned/dark skinned thing is much harsher with women than men tbh. If you notice all the dark skinned singer that are successful are always really taleneted because they have to be. Cant say the same about all the light skinned ones (side eye). They can just be groomed to have the right image because they are light skinned.
If Rihanna was dark skinned she’d be flopping worse than ci error
No cuz she actually has talent in like your wanna be black tone deaf fave
What is her talent? @love
What’s beyFATces talent popping her wide and screaming and yelling around stage? Yes it is.
Oh shut up! I can name dark skin rapper that better, sell more and are more successful than him. 50 cent, Lupe, Kanye, Rick Ross and Lil Wayne. Get out of here. This light vs dark is the saddest thing I ever heard. Usher is dark and he’s doing just fine, so was Janet, Michael (at he’s peak) and Janet and Whitney. And for the Nicki fans, she’s dark as well or bown. Look at her older pics, the b**** is dark.
this is an example of when half breed blacks in america say dumb things
k.
Obama gets called the N word probably more than any black person in history. He’s half Kenyon, so he’s actually more African American than we are.
That make no sense non what so ever………………….
“Dark skinned” people in America include recipients of GRAMMYS, TONYS, OSCARS, multi million dollar contracts, political power, and among them many historical Icons …
I love Jcole but this is the stupidest s*** he coulda said.
Nicki bleaches her skin you can tell she used to be brown skin like in 2008.. Lil Kim would never
Wasn’t J Cole the same one who made that ignorant remark about autism? I would expect him to make a ignorant remark here. People need to get the f*** out their feelings. This is POLITICS for f**** sake and people didn’t just vote for Obama because hes a pretty light skinned man jeesh. If you did the then you’re dumb. It helps yes it does but to make out that’s the reason why hes president is stupid.
Great point
I see what you’re trying to say , but you just contradicted yourself babe.
How?
Some of y’all are missing the WHOLE point in what J. cole stated…….
Carry on while I sit back and shake my head at some of y’all comments.
I will say this, I don’t hate white people, but I don’t TRUST them at all.
William Lynch really did mess a lot of y’all up. GOD bless the lost ones….. Lawd Hammercy
But was it only white people that voted Obama in? No. In fact it was more other ethnic groups.
What where did that come from? Who stated that it was only whites that voted from him?
You didn’t but you stated you don’t trust white people (which is a HUGE generalization) How is that relevant to Obama being voted in?
That statement didn’t have anything to do with the topic at hand …..Just something I threw out their…..
It is a huge generalization, but it is what it is. I just don’t trust them.
How old are you if you don’t mind me ask?
This how society plays us for fools. They set people of the same race against each other. STFU J. Cole…before I get Diggy to kick yo ass…there have been many successful dark-skinned musicians and politicians before you and Obama so your point is null. It’s so ignorant that he would completely undermined the fight dark skinned and light skinned equally has successfully done to get him where he is. N**** just mad cuz one girl didn’t want his sorry ass and used his light skin as an excuse.
But you just did what society wants you to do by calling J. Cole a N******, and you contradicted yourself as well.
Thats why Mariah ass got r**** in the beginning of the movie The Butler! J cole u right!
MARK111 GET YOUR FILTHY N1GGER ASS OUT OF HERE NO ONE CARES ABOUT YOUR FILTHY ASS AND TRASHY MIMAJ AND RIHSHITANNA ARE TALENTLESS GIMMICKS YOU MAD
^Ha!
I’m sorry I have to disagree with j cole…black people are as racist as white people..lets keep it 100…
being light skin doesnt automatically open more doors for you…
what color are kanye, denzel Washington, samuel l Jackson, eddie Murphy naomi campbell,chris rock, viola davis, oprah, so on
I see all the time a black person saying I don’t like light men or women, I prefer dark meat….is that racist?,;.
I hate when people wants to cry racism for the stupidest s***….blame the white men….you’re a baby mama with 2,3 4 baby daddies, its the white men fault..
your car didnt start up today, blame the white man…black men shoots his whole family, blame the white man
Kind of contradicting yourself by calling others racist when you’re basically stereotyping black people.
I hope you aren’t black.
She/he is right. All these black apes love to do is blame white people and complain. Should have kept their ungrateful asses slaves if this is how they would turn out: Uneducated, murderers,drug dealers, and inmates.
Doesn’t all races have Uneducated, murderers, drug dealers and inmates?
Now I will say some blacks DO like to fault white people for everything.
@Ruleyou no need to call blacks apes. If that’s the case all people are apes since we all come from an african BLACK woman.
The lack of knowledge in here is pretty disgusting.
Thank you Rosie, I mean it’s VERY disgusting.
Aren’t most in College……Oh the IRONY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
j cole is just trying to get attention……
in white people’s world, being biracial still means you are a black person. only in the african american world being biracial actually means something.
being light skin or dark skin means something
there a so many dark skin people making millions..so I guess they dont count
Oprah, Jay Z…true hustlers.
Where did J.Cole state that drak skinned people wasn’t successful?
The problem with some light skin black ppl is that they have this perception and overly high self esteem that just because their skin maybe closer to fair, white ppl don’t notice as much that they are still black. Well, they are wrong. Black genes are very strong and dominate and everyone will always notice if you are black. Our hair and facial features are a certain way that you just can’t hide unless you get surgery (lil kim). And a lot of ppl didn’t know Obama was mixed before his candidacy running for office or even after. A lot of ppl still had a problem with his skin color.
Oh hush. White people know the difference between a white person and a fair skinned/biracial person. I’m bi-racial but I cannot personally relate because I’m brown skinned (black and filipino) but a lot of Blacks will disown you if you don’t refer to yourself as “BLACK”. The one drop rule is so 1925. Why just refer to yourself as black and alienate your other parent in the process? That’s not fair. Although I am more inclined to my black side (music, culture ) I still consider myself to be mixed (Blasian).
I do not consider President Obama to be light skinned. If he were a regular guy walking down the street I would think he was a black man. Obama won because of his family values, charm and oratory skills. He won the hearts of America therefor winning their votes. I don’t think it had anything to do with his “lighter” complexion!!
I said some biracial blacks think too high of themselves and may think whites don’t notice as much but I’m pretty sure any person with 20/20 vision can tell if a half black person is still black.
but Obama’s a red-bone though? naaaaaaah
Hahahaha the president is not black for all of you ugly dark monkeys who thought you had hope. He is mixed/lightskin. Nobody cares about you dark apes. All of you are loud ghetto drug dealers.You want to claim the mixed race so bad because a lot of you are ashamed of being dark.
Why do you have to be like this?
wait isn’t that an a** or m***** in your avi……..
Tricks are for kids…
Barack is BLACK
‘Barack Obama would not be president if he were dark skin’ And how the hell does he know that for a fact? He lost me when he starting talking about rap anyway which is false. Many people were appealed to Obama because of his suave persona and good oratory skills they became accustom to over time.
Aesthetics do contribute. The issues regarding that are prevalent I wont deny that but people are acting like a darker man would have no chance. Which I disagree with. Because lets be real here; a large proportion of Obamas support derived from the simple fact he was black. What would be more interesting is if Obama was white. How far would his politics alone have taken him then against the other white competitors?
Racism is far more than an “Aesthetics”
Obviously I know that.
WTF
This is the first article of substance that I have ever read on this blog. I am South African, Black, dark-skinned and I feel I am well-versed in racism. The truth is this is true, the lighter your skin the higher the likelihood that you’ll have an easier life. This is the side effects of racism.
I know enough about American history to know that Barack Obama would NOT have been president has his mother not been White. And for those people saying that music is different from politics, well I’m sorry no it’s not. Politics doesn’t happen in a vacuum it happens within a context. If that context is one where people have been socialised to judge other people based on the shade of the browness of their skin for almost 1000 years, then it WILL translate into politics, whether you like it or not.
Ever since the passage of the Civil Rights Act in the USA (and since 1994 in my country), white people (and some black people) seem to think that racism was ended just like that! You cannot end hundreds and hundreds of years of indoctrination with just a passage of a law alone. Racism will NEVER end, it will do the opposite. Dark skinned people will most of the time be in the receiving end of this. And the whole Oprah scandal last week is a good example of how dark skinned people still have a hard time, even when buying something as trivial as a handbag!
If you are dark skinned, your life will be a little bit harder than a person who is light skinned, this is an undeniable fact. Barack Obama would not be in the Oval office had he not been interracial. The question is, what are WE as people prepared to do about it?
Many Americans did not know his mother was white for a long time.
Ok it may have been harder but I am sick of tired of people making out it would have been impossible. If politics are no different to some of the other industries as some of you say then apply your hypothesis to some the biggest black stars of all time who are dark complexion from Naomi Campbell (Fashion) Samuel L Jackson (Hollywood) Whitney Houston and MJ at his peak (pop music) 2pac and Biggie (rap music) Usain Bolt (sports) and of course Oprah Winfrey (just about everything including the Only black billionaire for a period of time). I could go on… None of them are light skin. Of course there is a divide but J Cole should have posed the question instead of stating it like he did.
Oh Cidney Poitier
Sidney*
The first black person to star in a Hollywood movie was dark skin
The first black person to win an Oscar was dark skin
The first black person to play basketball was dark skin
The first black person to have a book published was dark skin
So I beg to differ.
I agree. But what i said was that he is actually half White. Unfortuantely this gives VALIDATION to SUBCONCIOUS bias.
of for f**** sakes would black people just shut the f*** up and stop playing the victim all the time. Be part of the solution not part of the problem
I HIGHLY disagree with his statement and HIGLY agree with revolution. I didn’t even think of it that way. Like revolution said, it was because of what he stood for. It was that and because he was black. Biracial or not people still consider him as black. This has nothing to do with light skin or dark skinned. Idk what the hell j. Cole was thinking.
huh but in the rap community most of ALL of the successful rappers are dark skin tupac biggie jay z snoop dogg kendrick lamar lil wayne like WTF is jcole talking about he needs to have several in my opinion when it comes to men especially in rap i can’t think of many light skinned successful rappers like what the hell is he thinking he needs to get off his high horse. and again POLITICS and ENTERTAINMENT are two different types of areas period and they dont need to mix
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